June 22, 2026
#403 From Top of Her Class in America to Vice Chancellor | Dr. Amina Al Marzouqi, a Life Built on Discipline and Service
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">In 1981, a young Emirati woman convinced her father to let her travel to America to study. On her very first exam in a class of 75 Americans, she came first. That woman is now Vice Chancellor of the University of Sharjah.</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">Dr. Amina Al Marzouqi's story is one of the most inspiring journeys Spencer has covered on this show. After graduating in the US, she came home and was made deputy director of the UAE's entire primary healthcare system. </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">She did her master's degree </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">and went on to help build 106 primary healthcare </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW180304572 BCX0">centres</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> that earned WHO recognition. </span><span class= "NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW180304572 BCX0">Twenty four</span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> years in education later, she leads one of the UAE's most respected universities.</span></span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">This conversation is full of wisdom. Dr. Amina talks about what university is really for, why a great teacher matters more than a famous institution, and why she believes students need less </span><span class= "NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW180304572 BCX0">lecturing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> and more genuine interaction. She shares what it was like chairing her university's Covid response committee and supporting thousands of students through lockdown. She reflects on running a campus during the missile attacks, why students felt safer on university grounds than anywhere else, and the quiet strength the UAE revealed when it mattered most.</span></span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"> </p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">Timestamps:</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">0:00 How hard is it to be a student today with AI, mental health </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">pressure</span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> and a region in conflict</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">1:30 Chairing the Covid response committee and what students needed most during lockdown</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">8:02 What university is really for: independence, critical </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">thinking</span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">self discipline</span></span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">12:22 The teacher makes the subject: why a great lecturer matters more than a great university</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">18:13 Arriving in America in 1981, defying her father, and her first mixed classroom</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">22:24 The professor who saw her potential and the exam that changed everything</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">27:40 No management training, one year to get a master's, and building the UAE's healthcare system from scratch</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">31:48 AI as a tool not a threat and the careers students are not talking about yet</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">37:47 How the missile crisis made students more thoughtful and more mature</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">48:58 From mandatory cousin marriages to confronting a queue jumper: how UAE culture has shifted</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">51:31 The UAE's </span><span class= "NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW180304572 BCX0">defence</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> strength that nobody knew existed until it mattered</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">58:52 Defining success as impact and why she hates exams and textbooks</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">1:04:26 Quickfire</span><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0"> Questions</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"335551550":0,"335551620":0}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0">Follow Dr. Amina Al Marzouqi on Social Media</span><span class= "EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-al-marzouqi-7b286b151/" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-al-marzouqi-7b286b151/</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW180304572 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW180304572 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW180304572 BCX0" href= "https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-sharjah/" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle= "Hyperlink">https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-sharjah/</span></a><span class="EOP Selected SCXW180304572 BCX0" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> </div>